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That’s how bad (or good) are the routers that your operator gives you (2020)


Routers are the heart of our smart homes. Communications between computers, consoles, smart TVs, stereos, household appliances, smartphones and tablets inevitably pass through our main router when we use WiFi, where they can be slowed down and run into major bottlenecks.

One of the main causes of these problems is found in the modest equipment that the operators kindly give us, give or rent , in general designed to support the basic services that we have contracted but little else. We have seen the general characteristics of this type of device for a long time and now is the time to dig a little deeper and check exactly what the most popular models offer that most of us have installed at home.

But before starting, ask me to clarify that given the huge number of different brands and models of routers distributed by operators in recent years, it would be very complex and extensive to list the characteristics of all of them, so we are going to focus on a representative sample with those that in general tend to be the most common, the most widely distributed and the ones most likely to have in our homes, both for ADSL and cable and fiber optic connections .

So if yours is not on the list, it is better or worse than one of those that we are going to point out, do not think that we have something against it, you can comment on it at the end of the article. We started!

Fiber optic and coaxial cable connections

Fiber optic and cable connections are now the present for many Spanish Internet users who can access speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps and with much lower latencies than in the case of ADSL.

Operators tend to be more generous with the performance of the routers they deliver on these connections and are more likely to renew equipment, especially when they launch new access speeds on the market.

Home Gateway Unit (Movistar)

In 2015, Movistar took a very interesting step towards the hardware sector, designing, establishing the specifications and supervising the manufacturing process of its new router for fiber connections that they named the Home Gateway Unit or HGU and whose objective is to clear the number of devices in the living room incorporating in the same equipment the functions of ONT, router and videobridge (although not the video decoder, requiring a separate equipment).

The HGU is designed with a compact size of 20 x 20 x 5 centimeters and a minimalist finish where the typical LED connection status lights have been reduced in size, number and power so as not to disturb or attract attention. The antennas are internal, with four of them for WiFi AC in the 5GHz band and 2 more for WiFi N in the 2.4GHz band, achieving a better range than in previous routers of the operator but not as good as in the case of routers with external antennas , so we can have coverage problems if we use it in large homes.


At the rear we find 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports and an additional FXS VoiP port for voice calls. All this controlled by a Broadcom BCM68380 SoC with support for when future symmetric 1 Gbps connections arrive . However, there are no extra connections such as USB ports to share disks or network devices, which reduces points to the equipment with respect to other models.

WPS 2.0 technology has also been incorporated into this router to facilitate and speed up the configuration and installation of new wireless equipment in the home using QR codes printed on the HGU’s own housing. In addition, in the latest versions of the firmware the option is given (in fact it is activated by default) to use Band Steering technology , which automatically selects the best band available at any time (2.4 or 5 GHz), something that in general it works fine but in some old devices it can give access problems.

However, we are facing the best home router of the operator to date , comparable to the average ranges of the free market, which works very well, is very stable (I have it for two years and it has never crashed) and complies perfectly your mission in medium-sized homes with multiple simultaneous users.

Livebox Fibra (Orange)

Orange also wanted to switch to the router system plus ONT for fiber optics integrated in the same device, allowing to eliminate equipment from the room and reduce cables. For this they have their LiveBox Fibra , an all-in-one router that they offer to their fiber clients and that is capable of supporting connections of up to 1 Gbps, so it is prepared for future updates in the operator’s network.

With a very discreet external appearance, front LEDs and internal antennas, its minimalist design goes unnoticed, offering dual band WiFi AC MU-MIMO 4×4 and N MIMO 2×2, being capable of reaching 5 GHz up to 1,700 Mbps with 80 MHz channels and 2 , 4 GHz up to 300 Mbps with 40 MHz channels, making it, in theory, one of the fastest in the current offering .

It has a 600 MHz dual-core MIPS-32 CPU with 256 MB of DDRAM and 128 MB of NAND that allow the simultaneous use of multiple devices without problems of slowdowns, and the wired connectivity is served by 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports , two more RJ11 for VoIP telephones and a 1A USB 2.0 connector to share equipment on a network.

In other words, it is a powerful device and more than enough for the connections offered by the orange operator, although its wireless coverage can sometimes be compromised by the use of internal antennas, especially in large or multi-story homes.

ZTE F680 (Jazztel, MÁSMÓVIL, Pepephone, Yoigo)

Jazztel bet since the beginning of 2015 for an advanced router for its new fiber clients in connections of up to 200 Mbps symmetric . It was the ZTE F680 model, a simultaneous dual band AC WiFi equipment that the MÁSMÓVIL Group (MÁSMÓVIL, Yoigo, Pepephone) also offers in its own fiber network and which incorporates three external antennas (two for 5 GHz and one for 2, 4 GHz) with which to improve the speed and especially the coverage inside the house and in homes with patios or outdoor gardens .

It offers maximum theoretical speeds of up to 450 Mbps in the 2.4GHz band and up to 1,300 Mbps. In the 5 GHz band over WiFi AC, assuming that we have devices compatible with this protocol.

For wired connections it offers us four Gigabit Ethernet ports , it also has two telephone outputs with an RJ-11 plug and two USB 2.0 ports from which we can share audio and video content up to Full HD (it is compatible with DLNA) without cutting problems. no interruptions.

It stands out, therefore, for the fact of having multiple external antennas, which should improve the quality of the wireless network when there are several users accessing at the same time and the coverage in large homes, being a great option for customers They can squeeze their symmetrical fiber connections to the fullest.

Sagemcom Fast5655 v2 AC (MOBILE, Pepephone, Yoigo)

After a few years with the ZTE F680 router model mentioned above, the new fiber customers of Yoigo and the rest of the brands of the MÁSMÓVIL Group have seen how their operator has progressively provided them with a new model called Sagemcom Fast5655 v2 AC , with a clearer and easier to use interface and improved features for the average user , although with some difficulties to configure advanced parameters as administrator.

It is a compact device with an internal antenna design that incorporates the router and the ONT in the same device , so it is not necessary to have a separate one. It has a BCM 68380 CPU, 256MB of DDR3 RAM and is capable of generating a dual-band WiFi access point (AC + N) in 5GHz (with 20/40/80 MHz channels) and 2.4GHz (20/40 channels). 40 MHz) with wireless speeds of up to 1,300 Mbps and its ONT supporting fiber optic connections of up to 2,488 Mbps, so you should be seamlessly prepared for the Internet connections of the future.

As for the wired connections, it incorporates 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports , two RJ-11 ports for landlines and a USB 2.0 connector for external hard drives and share content through the SAMBA, FTP and DLNA protocols. It is a better device than the previous ZTE F680 in almost all aspects, but sometimes it can fall short in terms of WiFi coverage , having to resort in these situations to an extender or complementary PLC network.

Technicolor CGA2121 (Euskaltel)

Another of the operators that has been updating the router that they install for their customers has been Euskaltel , which in recent years has chosen to add the Technicolor CGA2121 to its catalog of equipment for cable connections.

It is a model compatible with the docsis 3.0 standard with up to 24 download carriers and 8 upload carriers capable of reaching connection speeds of up to 1.2 Gbps , so it is prepared for future speed extensions offered by the cable company. on your network.

It has a wireless interface already typical in this type of equipment with dual band WiFi N in 2.4 GHz (2×2) of up to 300 Mbps (with channels of 20 and 40 MHz) and WiFi AC in 5 GHz (3×3) of up to 1,300 Mbps (with 20/40/80 MHz channels), enough for most users who connect in a medium-sized home, but its internal antennas mean that the coverage of the WiFi network is not sufficient in large homes, with several floors or exterior gardens.

It also has 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports to connect equipment by network cable, two RJ22 ports for fixed VoIP telephony and a USB 2.0 port from which to share content on the network, supporting encryption of WPA2 connections, Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) security and the possibility of managing up to 8 wireless networks with independent SSID. It is, therefore, a good enough equipment for the service provided by the operator but somewhat scarce in terms of wireless coverage .

Comtrend VG-8050 (Movistar)

Another of the models in Movistar’s fiber connections that has been widely distributed to support 100 Mbps but that has also become clearly obsolete if we have contracted a higher speed, such as its 600 Mbps, which we will not be able to take advantage of. by WiFi .

It is compatible only with the 802.11n wireless protocol, offering maximum speeds of up to 300 Mbps with WiFi N in the 2.4 GHz band. It has an RJ-45 port for the 1 Gbps WAN to which we must connect the ONT and another 4 RJ-45 ports for LAN also Gigabit. It has a reset button, another for creating secure WPS networks, one for turning Wi-Fi on and off, and two 3dBi antennas that should offer good coverage in a medium-sized home .

The wired ports offer good performance, but the wireless network can present speed problems if we demand several sequences in Full HD streaming or we are downloading at maximum speed, so a multiband system that also relies on that of 5 GHz .

We are, therefore, a clearly outdated model for current fiber connections and if we have it installed at home it would be advisable to ask the operator to change it to achieve better performance in all aspects.

Livebox+ (Jazztel)

With an aspect and specifications very similar to the Livebox Fiber, the Livebox + router incorporates a few improvements as standard with respect to it (which also supports said improvements after an update) and especially with respect to other basic routers of the operators.

It is what its creators have called “smart WiFi” (or Band Steering also present in Movistar’s HGU) that is capable of automatically switching between the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands depending on which one offers the best coverage. The main difference between both models is that the Livebox Fibra includes the ONT and this one does not (so we will need to have another device more connected in the living room), also losing an Ethernet port (it has 3 available for the user), leaving the fourth reserved for the WAN that will be connected to the operator’s ONT .

Inside we find a 600 MHz MIPS-32 Dual Core CPU , 256 MB of RAM, 128 MB of Flash, and its housing offers a 1 A USB 2.0 port and two RJ11 ports for telephony. Wireless connectivity is served by 300 Mbps WiFi N with 40 MHz channels and 1,700 Mbps AC with 80 MHz channels, so it is also at the fore in this regard, although its internal antennas make the coverage of the wireless network is somewhat scarce and insufficient in large homes.

Comtrend C5813 (Movistar)

The Comtrend C5813 is one of the most popular fiber routers that Movistar installed a few years ago and it offers sufficient performance only for the most basic connections. It is a fiber router compatible with the 802.11n wireless protocol (also with 802.11g / b) capable of creating a network of up to 300 Mbps , so it is clearly insufficient if we think about hiring higher speeds .

It has an RJ-45 port for Giga Ethernet WAN to which we must connect the ONT and with 4 RJ-45 ports for the LAN also at Gigabit speeds. It has a Reset button, another WPS for the quick establishment of secure networks, another to activate and deactivate the WiFi and two steerable antennas with SMA connectors.

It is a suitable router for fiber optic installations that offers good performance in connections of up to 100 Mbps , but if we have one of 300 Mbps or higher, it will probably be quite short in terms of the wireless connection, since via WiFi we will never be able to reach the maximum it offers us , which is why we would need to buy an additional model or ask Movistar to give us a more powerful one.

Livebox Next (Orange)

Following in the footsteps of the New Livebox, Orange surprised in 2014 with the launch of the Livebox Next, a router designed especially for fiber clients (it is also compatible with ADSL2 +) and which stands out for its high performance for being a model provided by an operator. It has a Lantiq PSB 80920 XWAY VRX288 CPU at 500 MHz and 256 MB of RAM with which to move dual band WiFi AC connections without problems .

In the 2.4 GHz it is capable of reaching maximum speeds of 300 Mbps and in the 5 GHz it reaches 1,300 Mbps thanks to its two internal antennas in MIMO 2T2R configuration and the Beamforming technology that focuses the signal power towards the target device.

It has two RJ-11 ports to connect the telephone cable and if we need it to have an Internet connection through ADSL2 +, it also comes with a Gigabit Ethernet port to which to connect the output from the fiber optic ONT and with 4 Gigabit ports. for home LAN.

It has two USB 2.0 ports to share files on a local network, supports FTP, DLNA for streaming playback and is compatible with DECT wireless technology so that we can connect any phone and make calls via the operator’s VoIP service. It is, therefore, a good router with the latest features, although in some cases with coverage problems in large homes, as it only has internal antennas.

Compal CG7486E (Ono / Vodafone)

At the end of 2014, Ono began to distribute the Compal CG7486E router to new customers, a WiFi AC device with which to guarantee connections greater than 200 Mbps without slowdowns for the operator’s cable customers.

It is therefore a cable-modem compatible with the EuroDocsis 3.0 standard that is capable of creating a dual-band wireless access point in 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz over the 802.11b / g / n / ac protocols. It is compatible with WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) for the fast creation of secure networks, it has 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports , a port for VoIP and another USB 2.0 from which to share content on the network or to which to connect a printer. It also offers interesting functionalities to create an advanced firewall.

Technicolor TC7210 (Telecable)

Another of the operators that has joined the WiFi AC trend has been Telecable. In the summer of 2015, it announced the distribution of its new router, the Technicolor TC7210 , a dual-band cable-modem device capable of working in 2.4 and 5 GHz to reach theoretical maximum speeds of 1,300 Mbps.

It uses a 3×3 internal antenna configuration and Beamforming technology to focus signal power to target devices. It has two Rj11 ports for connecting VoIP phones and 4 Gigabit Ethernet for wired LAN.

It is certified EuroDOCSIS 3.0 and EuroPacketCable 1.5, so it will not become obsolete in the medium term. In addition, it has a USB 2.0 input to which we can connect external hard drives with content that it will play on any device that is compatible with the DLNA standard. Therefore, it is also a model that comes to the last in benefits, although it lacks a limited wireless coverage in large homes. It will allow the operator’s customers to squeeze their cable connections to the maximum, especially if we do not move too far from where it is installed or use an Ethernet connection.

XDSL connections

The loyal customers of ADSL and its derivatives (ADSL2, ADSL2 + and VDSL) have been the great forgotten by operators in recent years. If you do not have fiber or cable coverage and there is no other ISP with its own network in your area, you will probably continue with the same old router and you will not be offered the updated models and advantages that do reach new customers, a bitter reward for your loyalty. forced towards the company. But let’s see some examples of routers that we have right now in the houses:

Livebox Evolution (Orange)

Being without Internet due to a problem on the telephone line is not usual, but it does happen more frequently in rural areas, making life difficult for both domestic and professional users. For this reason, in 2017 Orange launched its Livebox Evolution , a hybrid router that combines ADSL connectivity with the 4G wireless typical of mobile telephony.

The idea is that the user is always connected by the fixed ADSL connection and when this totally or partially fails, it will automatically switch to 4G . In its 257 x 51 x 161 mm we find 4 Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 LAN ports , 2 FXS RJ11 ports for telephony and a 900 mA USB 2.0 port.

It is compatible with ADSL2 + and 3G / 4G connectivity, supporting the Orange TV television service and having DLNA and UPnP capabilities. Regarding WiFi connectivity, it offers dual band with up to 300 Mbps in 2.4 GHz under 2 × 2 MIMO and another 1,300 Mbps in 5 GHz with AC WiFi and 3 × 3 MIMO, being a recommended model if we live in places where the ADSL connection is frequently cut off or if we want to directly choose to connect via 3G / 4G. It is, therefore, a powerful router with decent wireless connectivity to squeeze basic ADSL and even 4G connections, being one of the most powerful provided by operators outside the fiber optic market.

Sercomm H500-s (Vodafone-ONO)

Vodafone bet a couple of years ago on a new router model that would offer service to both its ONO fiber and ADSL customers . The chosen one was the Sercomm H500-s model , with a rectangular shape designed to be placed vertically and that has a port for direct connection of the telephone line or xDSL.

In addition to two ports for telephony, we can find three Gigabit Ethernet LANs at the back , with which we lose one compared to the usual 4 of the rest of routers, having another additional Gigabit for the WAN , that is, to connect to the ONT of the fiber optic or to a cable modem and also has a USB 2.0 port on the side of the computer for memory and network printers.

The CPU chosen to govern the team is a Broadcom BCM63167 at 400 MHz with two cores and accompanied by 128 MB of RAM. It offers 2.4 and 5 GHz dual-band connectivity and support for WiFi Beamforming technology that focuses the energy beam to improve wireless signal coverage. It is enough to manage the basic Internet access of one or two clients , but it can fall a bit short if we ask for several data streams from multiple users at the same time.

New Livebox (Orange)

At the end of 2012, Orange was betting on an original high-performance router for its ADSL clients, the New Livebox , a successor to a somewhat less powerful previous model known as Livebox 2.0. With a Lantiq psb 80920 500 MHz CPU and 128 MB RAM , it supports ADSL2 + connections and comes with a MIMO 2T2R antenna configuration for wireless connectivity that allows you to establish WiFi N links of up to 300 Mbps over the bandwidth. 2.4 GHz, but it does not have support for 5 GHz or WiFi AC , something already essential today.

It has its own button to turn the WiFi network on and off, another for the pairing of WPS connections and two high-capacity USB 2.0 ports with a total current close to 1 amp to connect without problems external 2.5-inch hard drives that do not use extra power supply.

At the rear we find 2 FXS ports to connect conventional telephone terminals, the port for the ADSL line and 4 Fast-Ethernet 10/100 Mbps ports and another Gigabit-Ethernet 1,000 Mbps. Supports up to 3 phones connected simultaneously , 2 conventional and one for HD calls, it is compatible with DLNA and allows 3G connectivity through an external modem connected by USB. It is a suitable router for basic ADSL connections but given its wireless limitations and the absence of WiFi in 5 GHz it has fallen short if we want to transmit data in the local network at high speed.

Comtrend CT-5365 (Movistar)

One of the “star” routers that Movistar distributed with ease in recent years was the Comtrend CT-5365 . It is an ADSL2 + wireless multiport device that was customized with the Telefónica brand, including as standard everything necessary to start browsing if we have one of its lines.

It is a somewhat old model that was distributed especially in the 2010-2012 period, but it is widely installed in many homes with ADSL connections of 10 Mbps or lower , although it has clearly become obsolete in terms of performance, as we can. see below. Based on the Broadcom BCM6348 b0 SOC, the Comtrend CT-5365 has a 240 MHz BMIPS3300 CPU, a meager 16 MB of RAM, another 4 MB of Flash memory for upgrades and a single steerable antenna to establish wireless communications in a single 2.4 GHz band .

On the back we find an RJ-11 port for the ADSL line, four RJ-45 for the 10/100 BaseT LAN connection, a button for WPS connections, another to restart the equipment and a general power switch. Regarding the wireless section, it is compatible with WiFi networks that comply with the 802.11g standard (it is also backward compatible with 802.11b networks) supporting a maximum of 54 Mbps , so it does not support either WiFi N or AC or 5GHz connections , resulting in a poor wireless connection insufficient to view videos fluently.

It is very stable if we are one or two users at home with a basic ADSL connection, but not if we want to stream HD content over WiFi and even not over a wired network, since sometimes it gets stuck with the most demanding Full HD content (with 720p videos are usually not a problem). The solution? Call to be updated to a more modern one that has at least WiFi N.

Comtrend CT-5374 (Jazztel)

Also renamed VR-3025U, it is the wireless router widely offered by Jazztel for its 30 Mbps VDSL2 and ADSL2 + connections . It has support for Annex M, so that we can get a few more megabytes of upload if used with this technology or configure it to improve the downstream channel and latency, according to our needs.

It is compatible with connections of up to 100 Mbps in download and 60 Mbps in upload in the event that the VDSL2 network is capable of offering them (which is not the case in Spain) and 24 Mbps in download with 1.2 Mbps in upload for ADSL2 + connections. It has 4 Ethernet ports of 100Mbps, WiFi with double antenna and support for 802.11 b / g / n with a speed of up to 300Mbps over 2.4 GHz, not supporting links in 5 GHz or WiFi AC, so it is clearly obsolete in this aspect.

It also has a USB 1.1 port that, given its low transfer speed, limits its use to printers and network peripherals without extensive bandwidth requirements. It supports WEP, WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK, as well as DNS caching and basic QoS. It is, therefore, a suitable router for the connections contracted by the user that could perhaps give something more of itself in the wireless network but that is not as short as other models of the competition.

Huawei HG556 (Vodafone)

If you are Vodafone customers, you probably have or have had, from 2012, one of the operator’s most “popular” ADSL2 + routers, the Huawei HG556, capable of creating WiFi N networks of up to 300 Mbps and which stood out at the time for the possibility to connect a 3G or higher modem to support coverage in the event of a drop in the wired network.

It has a Broadcom BCM6358SKFBG CPU with a speed of 300MHz and 64 MB of RAM that falls a bit short when it comes to managing multiple network connections through its 4 Fast Ethernet ports at 100 Mbps. , Especially if we are several users at home asking you for streaming videos with HD resolutions.

It has 3 USB 2.0 ports , one of them reserved for the 3G modem, two connectors for the operator’s phones, and it is compatible with FTP, Samba and DLNA to stream content to televisions and multimedia equipment. Again we are faced with a sufficient model for the contracted ADSL connections but that perhaps could give something more of itself in the local network if it incorporated better Ethernet ports and dual-band WiFi.

Features Summary

As we pointed out at the beginning, the loyal (voluntarily or necessarily) xDSL clients are the great forgotten by the operators . The routers that many of us have installed at home have become clearly obsolete in terms of wireless connectivity, wired and functionalities. Some also use coaxial cable.

Although those that are being installed right now are much better than those of a few years ago, old customers usually do not have access to them as they do have new registrations, except for the threat of cancellation or breakdown, something that they should take into account ISPs since it is not the ideal formula to retain customers.

With fiber cable companies and operators, the situation seems to have improved a lot . The increases in the speeds that the networks are able to provide are causing ISPs to renew many of the routers that they delivered years ago, with which the park is rejuvenating little by little.

The new models with AC WiFi and Gigabit Ethernet ports that we have discussed are quite good and are theoretically at the height of the mid-range of the free market. However, some advanced traffic management technologies are missing and perhaps tri-band wireless networks that do incorporate the high-end routers of the most popular brands (with prices of more than 150 euros, of course).

Model

Operator

Internet connection technology

Red WiFi

Wired Network

Others

Sercomm H500-s Vodafone ADSL2 + and fiber WiFi N in 2.4 GHz up to 300 Mbps and AC in 5 GHz 3 Gigabit-Ethernet ports and another Gigabit WAN. Two ports for IP telephony, USB 2.0 port for network sharing.
Livebox Evolution Orange ADSL2 + y 4G WiFi N in 2.4 GHz up to 300 Mbps and AC in 5 GHz up to 1,300 Mbps 4 puertos Gigabit-Ethernet. Two ports for IP telephony, USB 2.0 port up to 900 mA.
New Livebox Orange ADSL2 + WiFi N up to 300 Mbps in MIMO 2T2R configuration 4 10/100 Mbps Fast-Ethernet ports. And another 1,000 Mbps Gigabit-Ethernet. two USB 2.0 ports, 2 FXS ports, DLNA, optional 3G connectivity
Comtrend CT-5365 Movistar ADSL2 + WiFi G up to 54 Mbps. With a single antenna 4 puertos Fast-Ethernet 10/100 Mbps. One RJ-11 port, good stability for connections of 10 Mbps or less.
Comtrend CT-5374 Jazztel VDSL2 and ADSL2 + WiFi N up to 300 Mbps. 4 puertos Fast-Ethernet de 10/100Mbps. One USB 1.1 port for printers
Huawei HG556 Vodafone ADSL2 + WiFi N up to 300 Mbps. 4 10/100 Mbps Fast Ethernet ports. 3 USB 2.0 ports, FTP, Samba and DLNA
Home Gateway Unit Movistar Optical fiber WiFi dual band N and AC up to 1.93Gbps. 4 puertos Gigabit Ethernet WPS 2.0 technology, integrates ONT, router and videobridge, FXS port for VoiP
LiveBox Fibra Orange Optical fiber WiFi dual band N 300 Mbps and AC up to 1,700 Mbps. 4 puertos Gigabit Ethernet Two RJ11 ports for VoIP telephony and another 1A USB 2.0
LiveBox + Jazztel (Orange) Optical fiber WiFi dual band N 300 Mbps and AC up to 1,700 Mbps. 3 Gigabit Ethernet ports and another Gigabit WAN Two RJ11 ports for VoIP telephony and another 1A USB 2.0
Comtrend C5813 Movistar Optical fiber WiFi N up to 300 Mbps. One Giga Ethernet WAN port and another 4 gigabit ports for the LAN Two steerable antennas with SMA connectors
Comtrend VG-8050 Movistar Optical fiber WiFi N up to 300 Mbps. One Giga Ethernet WAN port and another 4 gigabit ports for the LAN Two 3dBi steerable antennas
ZTE F680 Jazztel, MÁSMÓVIL, Pepephone, Yoigo Optical fiber Dual band 450 + 1,300 Mbps AC WiFi. One Giga Ethernet WAN port and another 4 gigabit ports for the LAN Two RJ-11 jack phone jacks and two USB 2.0 ports
Livebox Next Orange Fiber optic and ADSL2 + Dual band WiFi AC 300 + 1,300 Mbps. One Giga Ethernet WAN port and another 4 gigabit ports for the LAN 256 MB RAM, two RJ-11 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, DECT compatible
Compal CG7486E IT Cable coaxial Dual band AC WiFi up to 1,300 Mbps. 4 puertos Gigabit Ethernet One port for VoIP and another USB 2.0
Technicolor TC7210 Telecable Cable coaxial Dual band AC WiFi up to 1,300 Mbps + 300 Mbps. 4 puertos Gigabit Ethernet Two telephone jacks with RJ-11 plug, one USB 2.0 input
Sagemcom Fast5655 v2 AC MÁSMÓVIL, Pepephone, Yoigo optical fiber Dual band AC WiFi up to 1,300 Mbps + 300 Mbps. 4 puertos Gigabit Ethernet Two telephone jacks with RJ-11 plug, USB 2.0, SAMBA, FTP and DLNA
Technicolor CGA2121 Euskaltel cable coaxial Dual band AC WiFi up to 1,300 Mbps + 300 Mbps. 4 puertos Gigabit Ethernet Docsis 3.0, two telephone jacks with RJ-22 plug, USB 2.0

Updated in 2020 with current routers

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Android Auto sounds bad: four tricks to improve the sound quality between your phone and the car


If when you go on a trip you always play your favorite music or podcasts on your Android Auto to liven up the journey and you are not satisfied with the sound quality, or even you do not hear the calls or the assistant’s instructions well, we have good and bad news for you: the bad news is that Google’s infotainment system does not have a tool to improve the audio, but Yes, there are effective solutions so that you can hear Android Auto and the sound that comes from there better..

Android Auto sounds bad. If we analyze in depth the reason for low quality sound or that it does not meet our expectations with the Google infotainment system, we will see that the critical points (leaving aside, of course, the sound system in your car with its respective limitations or possible problems) are in the connection between mobile phone and car, the sound quality of the file or the source configuration, in this case, our Android phone.

Thus, if the mobile phone and the console are connected via Bluetooth, then we face challenges such as interference or compression inherent to the technology to optimize transmission and energy consumption. Likewise, we cannot expect the same quality from a track with high-resolution sound as from a lightweight file that we have downloaded in. Finally, parameters such as volume, balance, equalization or even the sound mode configured in the application from which we play on the mobile affect the final result through the car.

I want to improve my sound experience with Android Auto

Of the possible causes why our sound experience with Android Auto can clearly be improved, some solutions can already be anticipated.

  • Better wired than Bluetooth. Wireless connections are exposed to problems such as drops, problems, delays, inferior data transfers… which with the cable you minimize the probability of happening or directly avoid. Transmitting with cable it is possible for the system to receive sound without loss or compression, which translates into sound with more sharpness and clarity.
  • With downloaded music there is less risk. In the same way that offline maps are insurance for areas without coverage, if you download the podcasts or albums that interest you to your mobile before starting your trip, you can choose the best quality for the process and enjoy it later. Otherwise, you are exposed to optimizing the use of mobile networks and the coverage.
  • Spend time setting up the playback app. It is worth investing some time in trying the different options offered by both players (if you have the music downloaded to the device) and streaming services that also allow it, such as Spotify or Amazon Music, for example the volume, the equalizer , sound effects, modes. So, if, for example, you use Spotify without downloading music, you can adjust the audio quality to the most ambitious (although you will use more data).

  • Beware of Dolby Atmos. Your phone may support Dolby Atmos, a technology that offers a more immersive and immersive experience. Bad news: Android Auto is not and that can result in some distortion or losses. So when you play music from your cell phone so that it plays in the car, it is better to deactivate it.

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Bad news: the new Redmi Note 13 will not solve the problem with the proximity sensor of Xiaomi phones


As you already know, Xiaomi presented its new Redmi Note 13 family on September 21, a new generation made up of the Redmi Note 13 Pro+, Redmi Note 13 Pro and Redmi Note 13 5G, which offer a lot for a fairly moderate price. However, even though we are talking about one of the most successful series in the world of smartphones, it has been dragging a quite important problem over the last few years.

This has to do with the proximity sensor that Xiaomi has been introducing for quite some time in some of its equipment, and it is an element that It is giving problems to many users when they use it on a daily basis.. And if you were thinking that this generation was going to be different, everything seems to indicate that we will continue with a new chapter in this worrying story.

Elliptic Labs is still in charge of supplying the proximity sensor in the new Redmi Note 13

We saw it in the Redmi Note 11 and Redmi Note 12, and Xiaomi has confirmed that in these new Redmi Note 13 everything will remain the same. We talk about the virtual proximity sensor called AI INNER BEAUTY and supplied by the Norwegian company Elliptic Labs which, as you already know, is responsible for turning off the screen automatically when we bring the phone to our ear, although it is not as precise as we would like.

The main advantage of using this component is that it allows eliminate dedicated hardware that can be used to add other elements such as greater battery capacity. The theory sounds great, but in practice we are talking about a system that is not performing very well in daily use, and it is something that users continue to suffer from today.

Of course, we must also highlight that Laila Danielsen, CEO of Elliptic Labs, has assured that This tool continues to improve over time thanks to artificial intelligencewhich is capable of analyzing in a much more effective way the ultrasounds necessary for the sensor to function correctly.

However, experience tells us that it is better to be cautious and wait to see how this component works within the new Redmi Note 13, since history does not play much less in their favor. We will see what ends up happening in the end, but it is clear that Xiaomi is still determined to incorporate a tool that does not quite fit the needs of its users.

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Change DAZN image quality: You have these options if the image is bad


If the image quality of your stream on DAZN suddenly deteriorates and the image appears pixelated or even blurry, there can be many reasons. Sometimes these problems are due to a bad internet connection, but there can also be problems with the player or even with the provider.

DAZN image quality: These tricks can help

Unfortunately, DAZN does not offer you the option of adjusting the picture quality of your stream so that you can enjoy a perfectly sharp and good picture again. However, you can try a few tricks to fix the (possible) causes of the problem mentioned above.

If you are watching DAZN via a mobile hotspot, you should switch to your home WLAN if possible. Mobile hotspots are often used by several users, which can affect the transmission rate and thus the streaming quality of individual users.

Another option would be to close and reopen DAZN again. In some cases, this alone can help solve the problem. Or you switch to another device to watch DAZN on it.

Sometimes poor transmission quality can be traced back to the provider, for example when too many users want to access the DAZN program at the same time, for example in the case of particularly exciting Champions League games. In such situations, there isn’t much you can do except accept the poor quality or wait for the provider to fix the problem. In our DAZN malfunction reporter you can find out how the provider’s servers are currently doing.

More information about DAZN

We tested the streaming service DAZN for you. In separate articles we will also inform you about the costs of DAZN and the cancellation conditions at DAZN.

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Dancing with the Stars 2024: James Denton injured and in tears, the actor lets go after bad news


The “Desperate Housewives” star was back during the “Dancing with the Stars 2024” bonus this Friday, February 23, on TF1. Everyone was waiting to know if James Denton would finally be able to dance despite his injury. In the end, he ended in tears.

On February 16, TF1 kicked off Dancing with the Stars 2024. A show during which James Denton was to take his first steps on the floor. But an injury ruined everything. Was he able to dance during the show this Friday, February 23?

His presence in the casting is a real event. The star of Desperate Housewives agreed to participate in season 13 of Dance with the stars. A joy for the public, but also for the entire TF1 program team who welcomed him like a king. Everyone was looking forward to discovering their first dance with Candice Pascal last Friday. But, during a tape, it was announced that James Denton had been injured during rehearsals. He suffered from a torn hamstring and was therefore unable to perform. After apologizing, he promised that he would do everything to dance the following week.

James Denton still can’t dance

This evening, TF1 viewers were hoping to finally discover his performance. Unfortunately, the 61-year-old star was once again unable to take to the floor. “The Desperate Housewives star was supposed to make her debut last week, but suffered an injury during practice. He did everything to be able to dance tonight but, alas, it’s going to be a little tight. He’s not capable, he doesn’t have the go to be able to dance“, confided Camille Combal. He then asked James Denton how he felt. “It is very frustrating, but everyone was very nice. They are the nicest people I have ever worked with in my life. The judges too. I’m not kidding, really. Every day I come and tell them I’m sorry. I really feel like I’m disappointing everyone. But everyone tells me my leg is more important“, he replied.

In order to cheer him up, the production decided to broadcast him a message from his children Malin and Sheppard (fruits of his union with Erin O’Brien). A tape recorder that made him cry and us with it.

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Bad news for fans of ‘John Wick’: the brutal fourth film starring Keanu Reeves is left without a physical edition in Spain because “it is not financially viable”


Any Spanish collector of films in physical format was already smelling it, but it never hurts to have this sad certainty: the brutal ‘John Wick 4’ is left without a physical edition, since the distributor Diamond Films He has recalled that he does not plan to publish any of his films on DVD, Blu-ray or 4K Ultra HD, justifying this decision with “”.

Demand is very low

The truth is that no Diamond Films film has been published in physical format in our country for a long time, so the only thing we needed was an official explanation from him. We finally got it, and this is what it says:

Since we started our activity in Spain, we are committed to the creation and distribution of DVDs and Blu-Ray. Unfortunately, the company in charge of manufacturing and logistics ceased its activity permanently, due to the low demand for these products, so we had no choice but to stop editing our films in these formats. We understand that there are still some collectors who continued to bet on the physical format and we are very grateful that you are interested in keeping it, but we hope you understand that the demand is so low that its manufacture is not economically viable.

That the physical market in Spain is not going through its best moment is something indisputable. Gone are the years of strength in which there were countless buyers. Many of them were disappearing with the rise of streaming and something tells me that the obsession created around 50% offers, very common a few years ago and rarely seen today, does not help to be profitable either. Now it seems that the only thing that really sells are steelbooks – and I am the first to give them priority over simple editions.

All in all, movies continue to be released in our country and there are distributors like Reel One Entertainment that subsist solely on DVD and Blu-ray sales, so profits should continue to give. Perhaps few and very focused on certain titles –I don’t have the slightest doubt about the good sales of ‘John Wick 4’, but what about the rest of the releases?-, so one can understand that they have opted for other sources of income. Which is it? I suspect that the exclusivity that Diamond Films titles have for a time with Prime Video when they are released on streaming must be more profitable than what they could earn without it and the extra of the physical format.

Obviously, ‘John Wick 4’ is not the only title affected -the same will happen with the recent ‘Talk to me’, the polarizing ‘Beau is afraid’ or the still pending release ‘The last trip of Demeter’-, but surely the most striking. Let’s not forget all the trouble that occurred with the physical format edition of its first installment, which did not appear for sale in our country until this very 2023. By the way, this will also affect future releases, so if ‘John Wick 5’ has just been done, you can count on the same thing to happen.